Means for overcoming fluid friction



Sept. 3, 1929. A. BoERNER MEANS FOR OVERCOMING FLUID FRICTION FiledApril 50, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig! Fig.2

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DDDD HDD UDCIDD Sept. 3,A 1929. A. BOERNER MEANS 'FOR OVERCMING FLUID FRlCTION Filed April 30,' 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 51.5081- new Patented Sept. 3, i929.

ARNO BOERNER, 0F DRESDEN, GERMANY, ASSIGNOR 0F 1,726,882 ICE.

SUCZEK, OF CZECHOSLOVAKIA.

MEANS FOR OVERCOMTNG FLUID FRICTION.

.Application filed April 30, 1927, Serial No. 187,833, and in Germany.J'une 12, 1926.

The resistances which arise as frontal and skin resistances when bodies are moving through currents of liquid and air are well known, and can be ascertained experimentally in water tanks, wind passages and the like, for example, and also. calculated. In connection with these resistances the constitution and the shape of the-bodynaturally play a considerable part.

Hitherto, in this branch of technology, success has not been attained iii-propelling bodies by motor means or the like with such small forces as animals, birds, and fishes require for overcoming these iow resistances.l In their case the flow itself must serve as a source of power for overcoming the resistances. For example, I have ascertained that the forward movement of a fish is chiefly effected by the water pumping mechanism of its gills,

regarded as auxiliaries, Upon this discovery the present invention is based.

The invention consists in separating the body from the currents of liquid or air, as the casemay be, by interposing masses of liquid or air automaticallymoved in a direction opposite to the direction of the forward'movement of the body, which may be a ship, an airship, a flying machine or the like. The interposed layer may consist of the actual tiuid which occasions the obstructing currents, as this fluid (liquid or air) may be f led through passages into the moving body, and subsequently expelled again through nozzle-like apertures in the sidesl of the body.

--This measure may be assisted by accelerating the fluid, which is admitted through the apertures, and` discharged through the nozzles, and which therefore surrounds the body ances such as pumps, turbines, propellers or the like during its 'passage from the inlet apertures to the discharge apertures.

In order to surround the moving body with a mantle of flowing liquid and therefore to eliminate current resistances, theinlet and outlet passages are distributed over the entire external surface of' the body. Thus in the case of a ship for example, these passages are arranged not only on the sides.l but also on the Vkeel walls; and in the case of an airship for example they are likewise arrangednot only laterally, but also at the top and bottom of the airship.

5 The success attained is increased if the surand the fins and tail members are only to bevl like a mantle, by means of mechanical appli- 'Huid in the direction of travel, but having properties. which cause them to oHer great resistance 1n the opposite direction.

TEN PEE. CENT To ROBERT It is further possible, by means cfg the 'I masses of liquid or air expelledthrough the nozzles, to effect the steering of the body, by throttling or entirely closing certain of the nozzle passages by means of valves or the like. This method of steering is particularly advantageous for airships, if the currents of air discharged from the bottom and top surfaces are alternately strengthened or weakened for the purpose of vvertical steering.

The ridging already mentioned on the surfaces of the body must under some circumstances-be very finely arranged, and may in this case be produced by profile rollers on-the wooden, metallic or fabric sides.

The invention is illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings, where- 1n Figures 1 and 2 show in side elevation and In a view from below a Steamship.

Figure?) is a detail view,

Figures 4 and 5 show a side elevation and a plan of an airship, while Figure 6 shows an aeroplane in side elevation, and Figure 7 the supporting plane thereof in perspective.

In the case of the Steamship illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, the side walls and the keel walls, the latter completely and the former partially, come into contact with the water, while the upper parts of the side walls come into contact with the air;

According to the invention in the side walls, both in the part which is in the air andA in the part which is immersed in water, inlet apertures aand b are provided for air and water respectively and on the keel surface inlet apertures c for water..v Through these ap-l ertures, which, in the case of the constructional example illustrated are located at the bow ofthe shi the fluid entering asses into passages which are indicated by otted lines and in these passages is accelerated by propellers indicated at l, after which it is eX'- pelled again through nozzle apertures e provided in the sides and in the keel walls. The medium thus accelerated surrounds the sides of the ship in question like a mantle and thereby eliminates direct contact of the otherwise result from directcontact.

fluids through which the ship is moving (air or water),.and at the same time also .eliminates thefrictional resistances which vould n addition to this the accelerated fluid materially assits the easy forward movement of the ships hull.

Inlet apertures for. air and water may of course also be arranged one behind the other,

having-regard to the direction of forward movement, in various places on the sides of the ship inf'question, for the purpose of making the envelopment of the vessel as uniform as possible from bow to stern.

Now the walls in question are provided with ridges or projections. Figure 3 for ex-. ample shows diagrammatically a construcf tion of such ridges or projections produced by scale-like attachments 7 to the sides of the ship, these attachments being arranged in series and rising gradually out of the ships wall and then suddenly falling away, so that they offer no resistance to the flowing medium accruing, but behind the point where they fall away they produce eddies in the fluid, which materially assist the impulsive action, so that the vessel is driven forwards.

ln the case of the airship illustrated in Figures 4 and 5, we again find the air inlet apertures a, and'likewise the discharge nozzle aperturese, and the propellers d inserted in the passage. Here again the entire envelope of the airship is equipped with the ridges or projections mentioned. In the case ofthe airship envelopefwhich in its entirety is immersed in the fluid, consisting of air, the air inlet apertures mayof course be distributed all over the envelope, and may thus for example be arranged not only on the side surfaces,

but also'atl the top and bottom. The-arrang- 4 ing ofsuch apertures on the top and bottom surfaces-is particularly valuable in thecase of airships, as the steering in a vertical direction can be effectedby the aid of the said devices.`

In order to render'this possible, valves are interposed in the passages leaving the inletI apertures, and these valves enable the 'passages to be throttled or even completely closed. I e t In the case of -the constructional example accordingto Figure 6, it is shown that the body of an aeroplane may also be constructed with the airinlet `apertures a, outlet nozzles e, and so forth, as can also the supporting planes.

What I claim is z-f 1. In combination'with a body moving in a medium, means for-overcoming the frontal and skin resistance caused by the forward movement of the body, comprising a plurality of conduits in said body, said body having a plurality of inlet openings in the forward part of said body adapted to permit the medium to enter and a plurality of outlet openings in its outer surface arranged lbe-v vand skin resistance caused by the forward movement of the body, comprising a plurality of conduits in said body, said body having a plurality of inlet openings in the forward part of said body adapted to permit the fiuid to enter and a plurality of outlet openings in its outer surface arranged behind said in-A lets, said conduits connecting said inlets and said outlets, a plurality of projections on the outer surface of said body, said projections extending outward in the direction of the forward movement' of said body and gradually tapering inwardly toward thel rearward direction of the body, and means disposed in said conduits for accelerating and discharging the fluid through the outlet openings thereby causing it to flow along the outer surface of the body. j

3. In combination with a ship moving through ay medium, means for overcoming the frontal Iand skm resistance caused by the forward movement of ythe ship, comprising a plurality yof conduits in the body of said ship, the bow of said ship having a plurality of inlet openings adapted to permit the medium to enter and a plurality of discharge openings in its outer surface disposed behind said inlet openings, said conduits connecting.

said inlet openings and saiddischarge openings, a plurality ofprojections on the outer surface of thebody of said ship adapted to produce eddies in the medium flowing along the sides of the body of the ship and effect a llO resistance in the opposite direction of travel of the ship, and means disposed in said conduits for accelerating and discharging the medium through the ischarge openings.

In testimony whereof l have signed my name to this specification.

ARNO BOERNER. 

